Four notes on area businesses for Jan. 2, 2019

Wednesday

Jan 2, 2019 at 12:01 AM

Send news about your local business to MWBusiness@wickedlocal.com. We're interested in news about business people, expansions, openings and community involvement by MetroWest businesses and business people. Follow Daily News Business Editor Bob Tremblay on Twitter @Bob Tremblay_MW

Three biotech companies hope to raise $227M collectively

Cambridge's TCR2 Therapeutics Inc. and Newton's Stealth BioTherapeutics Corp. are aiming to raise up to $100 million and $86 million, respectively, in IPOs in the new year, according to paperwork filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on Friday. TCR2's filing is especially notable, as the company has yet to launch any clinical trials of its CAR-T cancer treatments, according to the Boston Business Journal. The biotech recently requested FDA approval to start one clinical trial, and plans to ask permission in the first half of 2019 to launch a second trial. Framingham biotech Alzheon Inc. is also planning to raise up to $41 million in an IPO, the company said in November. That is roughly half of what Alzheon had hoped to bring in when it initially filed for an IPO in March 2018. Industry experts are expecting a drop-off in biotech IPOs after a record-breaking 2018 in which 17 local companies collectively raised $2.2 billion. Some of those companies have seen their shares prices fall in a volatile stock market. Cambridge's Moderna Therapeutics was the most extreme example, with the company raising an industry-record $604 million in December, then seeing its stock price fall nearly 20 percent in the first day of trading. "We enter 2019 on uncertain footing," research firm Renaissance Capital said in a report in mid-December. "Due to the negative returns for IPOs and the broader equity markets in the fourth quarter, 2019 IPO activity is more likely to be below 2018. However, proceeds could very well be higher in 2019."

Holiday Window Contest winner announced in Natick

The shop windows in Natick Center were aglow this year with many colorful displays for the Natick Center Cultural District's Holiday Window Contest. This year's winner was Metro Pets with its "Happy Howlidays" display featuring pups dressed up for the holidays. Second place was a tie between Five Crows Gallery and Handcrafted Gifts with special packages being delivered in festive mailboxes and Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage, which created "Whoville" in its windows, complete with the Grinch himself. Two-time winner Calliope Paperie came in third with its creative and larger than life-sized Kris Kringle Christmas List window for the holidays. The winner will receive a year's membership to the district, the silver trophy and bragging rights for the new year.

Wegmans to hold ‘High Scoring Snacks’ event

“High Scoring Snacks for Game Day” will be held Jan. 20 from 11 a.m. to noon at Wegmans, 1245 Worcester St. (Rte. 9), Natick. Parents and children can attend for $10 with Shoppers Club. Children will thread, shred and get snacks ready for the big games. Kids will thread pretzels, salami and cheese on kabob sticks to enjoy with mustard dips, then shred BBQ pork for mini pulled-pork sliders and finally make a salsa verde guacamole dip for chips.

Natick to host ‘Pizza All Day’ program

“Pizza All Day” will be held from 11 a.m. to noon Jan. 27 at Wegmans, 1245 Worcester St. (Rte. 9), Natick. Parents and children can attend for $10 with Shoppers Club. Junior chefs will start by making an easy morning English muffin pizza topped with ham and cheese. For lunch, it is a naan bread pepperoni pizza with handmade sauce. The pizza-fest wraps up with dessert pizza topped with fresh berries and Hazel Nuttin’ topping.